Heartstring
by Ceasefire
Summary: MiyagiShinobu, future AU:: Ten years ago, Miyagi and Shinobu became lovers. Three years ago, their relationship was discovered, and they moved to escape Shinobu's family's scorn. Today, their relationship is still strong, and they are trying to move on.
1. Sound of the Waves

**Disclaimer:** Junjou Romantica is the rightful property of Nakamura Shungiku. This is a fanwork written purely for both your entertainment and mine.

These fics are a series of barely-connected one-shots I'm writing for Terrorist. They are set ten years into the future, after Shinobu's family discovers their relationship.

* * *

Shinobu's toes curled into the sand, and he shut his eyes, listening to the waves hit the beach. It was a humid night, but the sea breezes were cold; the sky was completely void of stars, and dark clouds threatened a storm. Shinobu barely even heeded the distant thunder. He licked the slight damp of perspiration on his top lip away, and smiled when he felt Miyagi's arm come around him, sliding his coat over Shinobu's shoulders.

"What are you doing?"

"You looked cold," Miyagi replied, ruffling Shinobu's hair.

"You probably need it more, you know. The cold will make your joints ache, old man."

"Forty-five isn't _old_," Miyagi snapped, and Shinobu snorted and turned back to watch the ocean again.

It had been ten years since Miyagi had admitted his love for Shinobu in front of his sensei's grave. It had been six years since Shinobu had graduated from T University, with a law degree and full honors under his belt. And, it had been three years since their relationship had been discovered, and they had hastily moved away from Tokyo.

Shinobu pulled his knees up to his chest. The three weeks after their relationship had been revealled had been the toughest in Shinobu's life, and every conversation he'd had with his family to try and reach a compromise had ended in him having a shouting match with his mother, Miyagi retreating to his apartment whenever Risako tried to pin the blame on him, and his father smiply massaging his temples and emphasising how _disappointed_ he was with the both of them, over and over again.

Perhaps, in his heart of hearts, that was what had hurt Shinobu the most. When he'd been a teenager, he'd never cared about what his father had thought; in fact, there were times when he felt he was far too overprotective. Perhaps it was more the tone of voice he'd said it in; perhaps it was just the fact that after years of forgotten birthdays and being convinced that what his father thought was best, Shinobu finally realised he was no longer a child and he didn't have to listen anymore.

Miyagi had realised that. His father had not.

Shinobu shook his head. In the end, they'd decided to move away to avoid any _unnecessary drama_, as his father had so aptly put it. Miyagi had found a vacant post as professor of literature at another university, Shinobu had found another job working in office while he built up experience, and his family had left them alone. He still sent his parents money from his paycheque every week, to repay them for the four years of rent he had owed them while he'd been Miyagi's neighbour.

Four years of living next to his sister's ex-husband, and said ex-husband being the only person he'd ever really been close to, and they supposedly hadn't suspected a thing.

Shinobu sighed, and he felt Miyagi shift closer to him.

"You okay, Shinobu-chin?"

"I wish you wouldn't call me that anymore," Shinobu replied, knowing full well that his lover never would stop, "I'm not a kid."

"You're still adorable, that's what counts."

"Shut up."

"Don't wannna."

"You're such a kid, Miyagi."

"I know," Miyagi chuckled, "And you're still a brat like you were ten years ago."

"Ten years..."Shinobu murmured, and he felt Miyagi's hand slip around his waist and under his shirt, thumb smoothing over pale skin.

"I probably should have said this years ago, but... I'm sorry."

"What are you saying that for, stupid? None of what's happened to us over the years is your fault. Or my fault. Or our fault."

"But your family..."

"Idiot," Shinobu murmured, snaking both of his arms around Miyagi's torso, "You're my family too."

Miyagi smiled, pressed a kiss to Shinobu's cheek and held him close, just as light flecks of rain began to fall from the sky.

"Let's go home, Shinobu-chin."

Shinobu hummed affirmitive, sliding on his shoes, and Miyagi started getting to his feet but stopped when he felt Shinobu grasp the back of his shirt. He was reminded, suddenly, of a day ten years ago that had ended with him leading a crying Shinobu out of the international airport in Tokyo, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Miyagi?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I know."

"Idiot," Shinobu huffed, "Learn to say it properly."

"Would you have me say it when you already know what I'm going say?"

Shinobu sighed, and Miyagi chuckled and pressed his lips against the shell of Shinobu's ear.

_"You know I do."_

It must have been good enough for Shinobu, if the slight tinge of pink that rose to his cheeks was any indication.

Smiling happily, Miyagi offered his hand to his younger lover, and Shinobu took it. And together they headed home, leaving the wind and the rain behind them.

**END**


	2. Heartstring

**Disclaimer:** Junjou Romantica is the rightful property of Nakamura Shungiku. This is a fanwork written purely for both your entertainment and mine.

These fics are a series of barely-connected one-shots I'm writing for Terrorist. They are set ten years into the future, after Shinobu's family discovers their relationship.

* * *

Shinobu had grown up.

This occurred to Miyagi randomly, one day as he was watching the younger man sit across from him at the breakfast table in the apartment they shared together. Just as it dawned on Miyagi that he was stupid for never really thinking about it earlier, Shinobu had looked up from reading the paper and caught Miyagi's gaze on him. The older man looked away a little too late to avoid the question.

"What's wrong?"

Something was always wrong, after all. It was just the way life was.

"Nothing. I was just thinking how much you've grown up."

"Of course I grew up, idiot. I was only fifteen when we first saw each other, only eighteen when we became lovers..."

"Not necessarily in that way," Miyagi smirked, taking the last slice of toast.

"In what way, then?"

"Other ways."

"You would say something like that," Shinobu replied, rolling his eyes, and Miyagi laughed.

"It's a compliment."

"I hope so," Shinobu replied, dryly, before pausing."What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Cabbage."

"Don't tease me, old man."

"Fine then. Fish will do."

Shinobu nodded, getting up to take his plate to the sink before attempting to walk past Miyagi to the front door. Miyagi stopped him calmly with a hand around the waist, a movement so natural to him now that he was sure he'd panic if he thought too much about it.

"I love you."

Shinobu smirked, and brushed away the toast crumbs from the corners of Miyagi's lips.

"I know."

* * *

Shinobu was taller than Miyagi now.

Not that much taller, just an inch or two. But it was enough to make Miyagi feel small when Shinobu kissed the top of his head.

"I'm sorry. You must have shrunk in your old age."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, I'm old."

"I thought forty-five wasn't old?"

"It isn't, but you treat me like I'm a centenarian."

Shinobu laughed, stood on tiptoes, and kissed the top of Miyagi's head again.

Miyagi always felt happy when Shinobu was happy. It was if his laughter was infectious, and his good feelings overflowed from his own heart and straight into Miyagi's. This was the way Miyagi liked Shinobu best.

The fish they had for dinner was a little dry, and Shinobu blamed himself.

"Nevermind. No use crying over spilt milk."

"I'll run across to the convenience store and get some pizza bread."

"How is this your fault?" Miyagi chuckled, catching Shinobu's hand before he reached the front door.

"It isn't," Shinobu replied, "But I want you to be happy."

"I am happy," Miyagi replied, "Don't tell me you're still putting yourself down?"

"You'll get hungry later."

"We'll worry about that _if_ it happens."

"Fine," Shinobu sighed, resigned to Miyagi's stubbornness.

"I remember when you would have fought with me, tooth and nail, to prove you were right."

"Some things change," Shinobu replied, face flushing briefly with uncertainty.

Miyagi laughed and raises his hand to the back of Shinobu's neck, skin warm as he smooths at the fine hairs on the back of Shinobu's neck with his fingertips.

"And some things never will."

* * *

Shinobu's hair was getting a little too long. Miyagi could feel it under his fingertips, against his skin; the slight rough, uneven tickle made him shiver.

Shinobu enjoyed the attention a little more than he'd usually let on, lying languidly in his lover's arms, bared down to the skin with toes curling against the rough, new cotton sheets he'd bought to replace the worn set Miyagi had brought from his old apartment in Tokyo.

"You should get it cut soon," Miyagi murmured, toying with a strand of Shinobu's golden-brown hair between his fingers.

"Why?"

"I don't think your bosses would appreciate one of their new employees looking like nobody owned him. But maybe that's the problem."

"What is?" Shinobu asked, propping himself up against the mattress with his elbow.

"You already belong to me, and after you finish work for the day you miss me so much that coming home to see me becomes your top priority."

"Stupid Miyagi," Shinobu murmured lazily, but there was no malice in his tone. He rolled over until he and Miyagi were chest-to-chest, and Miyagi smirked, one arm coming up to slide around Shinobu's waist, holding him there.

They stayed like that for a moment, Shinobu's big toe brushing against Miyagi's ankle, teasing.

"What time will you be home from work tomorrow?"

"Friday, right?" Shinobu questioned vaguely, "Around four o'clock."

"Good, don't be late."

"Why?"

"Fridays nights are always the best nights."

"We do the same thing we do every other weeknight."

"Aaah, but we both get home earlier, so we get more time to do it," Miyagi smirked, hands slowly moving downward, along the length of Shinobu's spine, to rest on the curve of hip and thigh.

"If I have extra time, perhaps I should take your suggestion and get my hair cut," Shinobu replied sarcastically, squirming against Miyagi's embrace.

"Don't be like that," Miyagi replied.

"You would," Shinobu whined.

"That's beside the point," Miyagi murmured against the shell of Shinobu's ear, fingers curling to grasp soft flesh. Shinobu whined again, in a way that made warmth swirl straight to the pit of Miyagi's stomach.

"Miyagi..."

"Hmmm?"

"... nothing," Shinobu replied, hips jerking reflexively downward as Miyagi's hand slipped between his thighs.

"Of course," Miyagi hummed, rolling the both of them over and pinning Shinobu's wrists to the pillow with his hand.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I won't."

That was the first thing Miyagi heard from Shinobu when he returned home on Friday night.

The younger man had his phone pressed against his ear, fingers shifting and shaking.

"I told you, I won't be coming."

Miyagi frowned, tossing his briefcase and keys onto the table before approaching Shinobu from behind and slipping his arms around him. Shinobu jumped, breathed in sharply, but then relaxed when he realised it was his lover.

"I'm going now. Please don't ask me about this again."

Shinobu snapped his phone shut, and Miyagi frowned.

"Who was that?"

"My father."

"Oh," Miyagi replied. This was never a happy topic.

"He called to tell me that Risako is getting married again."

"Oh," Miyagi replied, already feeling extremely stupid for not knowing how to react.

"He told me that Risako said she wanted me to be there."

"Oh, really?" Miyagi replied. It was really time for Shinobu to patch things up with his family; what was in the past was in the past. When their relationship had been discovered, Miyagi had resigned from his position at M University quietly and he and Shinobu had moved southward and restarted their lives from scratch. Shinobu's family had barely contacted since then, and Shinobu was convinced that they were ashamed of him.

"_Me_. Not _us_."

"I can't imagine why your big sister would want her ex-husband at her wedding, Shinobu-chin."

"This is the first time they've spoken to me in about eighteen months," Shinobu growled, "And what my father says annoys me. I'm not a child anymore, he treats me like I don't know what I'm doing or how I feel..."

Miyagi sighed and gently ruffled his lover's hair, which he noticed was now neatly trimmed against his neck.

"I won't force you to go if you won't feel comfortable. But I don't like you having such a bad relationship with your family."

"I've told you before, you're my family too. And who are you to speak? I don't know anything about your family!" Shinobu snapped, "You've never told me!"

"You've never asked me," Miyagi smirked, "Fine, what do you want to know?"

"Anything!"

"Alright," Miyagi grasped Shinobu's wrist and tugged him towards their couch, pulling his younger lover down onto his lap.

"I'm the youngest of two children. I have one older sister named Miki who moved to America two years before I graduated from university. She married an American and has a son. My parents moved to Hokkaido after we both left home. They... didn't really approve of my relationship with Sensei, so after she died I moved to Tokyo and lived on-campus at university and worked two part-time jobs until I could afford my own place. I married your sister and things were patched up, briefly. I told them I was getting a divorce and we haven't spoken since. It wasn't even a bitter conversation, we just don't talk all that often."

"Really?" Shinobu asked, blinking as Miyagi nodded, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Don't be sorry, brat. Does it seem like it bothers me?"

"I'm not a brat," Shinobu pouted, "I just don't know why he tries to tell me how I feel about you."

Miyagi sighed and nuzzled Shinobu's cheek with the tip of his nose.

"I know. I said I wouldn't force you into it."

Shinobu moved closer and murmured, "I never said I didn't believe you."

* * *

"Come to bed, Shinobu."

"I have to finish this paperwork."

Shinobu was sitting at the small desk in their bedroom, wearing only one of Miyagi's work shirts. Miyagi could remember when one of his shirts would have swamped Shinobu's frame. Shinobu was still thin, all long limbs and pale skin, but he was taller than Miyagi now, and the shirt didn't quite cover his lower half as well as it used to.

"You can finish it tomorrow. It's Saturday tomorrow."

Shinobu paused to look at the digital alarm clock on the bedside table, before commenting, "It's Saturday now."

"Then you should probably be in bed and asleep."

Shinobu sighed, haphazardly tossing his fountain pen onto the desk. It was the pen Miyagi had bought him for his twenty-first birthday; it was seven years old and was in need of a replacement, but Shinobu refused to stop using it, despite the fact that he'd been thoroughly unimpressed with the gift when he had first received it.

"Come on, you're obviously getting pretty stressed so you should give up while you're ahead," Miyagi said, and Shinobu nodded slowly, shrugging the shirt off his shoulders. He slid in between the sheets, into Miyagi's embrace, against his skin.

"Miyagi?"

"Mmm?" Miyagi grunted against Shinobu's throat, tasting the salt on his skin.

"I don't think I've changed at all."

"Huh?" Miyagi looked up suddenly, and his heart sank to see Shinobu looking so troubled.

"You told me yesterday that you thought I'd grown up, but in reality, I don't think I've changed at all."

"You have."

"My height doesn't count."

"No, no..." Miyagi chuckled, biting down on on Shinobu's earlobe, "You've matured."

"I haven't," Shinobu replied.

"Settle down," Miyagi murmured, "Is this about your father?"

"No. Well, not only that."

"Then what's wrong?"

"When we first started going out, I was always afraid that I would never be as mature as you."

"And I told you you were an idiot," Miyagi replied evenly, "I don't want you to be any other way."

"I still can't face my father."

"You don't _have_ to."

"You _told_ me that I shouldn't be on bad terms with him."

"Calm down," Miyagi said, and Shinobu shook his head, "Shinobu..."

"... I haven't changed at all," Shinobu repeated, gritting his teeth.

"And I told you, I don't want you to have to feel like you owe anything to anyone," Miyagi said calmly. Shinobu shied away, burying his face into Miyagi's shoulder. Miyagi sighed, petting the back of Shinobu's head.

"Perhaps you haven't changed."

Shinobu flinched.

"But then, perhaps it doesn't matter to me," Miyagi grinned, "Because I think you're adorable, no matter what."

Shinobu nuzzled further into Miyagi's shoulder.

"Shut up, old man."

"And I also told you, I'm not _old_."

Shinobu turned his head to face away from Miyagi, his face shameful.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Miyagi replied. Shinobu's gaze was still averted, and Miyagi smiled, kissing Shinobu's bare shoulder and rolling over to turn off the bedside lamp.

"Miyagi?"

"Yes?" Miyagi asked, rolling back over to face Shinobu.

"I love you."

Miyagi smiled, kissing his lover chastely on the lips.

"I know."

**END**


	3. Reason Cannot Know

Junjou Romantica is the rightful property of Nakamura Shungiku. This is a fanwork written purely for both your entertainment and mine.

I apologize for the extreme lateness of this chapter.

* * *

_"The heart has reasons that reason cannot know." – Blaise Pascal_

It was three hours before Shinobu had to start getting ready for Risako's wedding, and he was already fretting. Miyagi could always tell when Shinobu was upset, even when his emotion didn't show plain on his face; at that moment, he sat perfectly still on the lounge, save for the slight bouncing of his right foot, and the movement of his fingers as they toyed with the ends of his hair.

Miyagi hated seeing Shinobu like this, especially when it was partially his fault, but he knew that hardening his heart and putting up with a quiet evening alone would be worth it if Shinobu patched things up with his family.

And that was a very big _if_.

"Hey, old man."

Miyagi blinked at Shinobu, who was now sitting with his hands clenched, white-knuckled in his own lap.

"What's wrong?"

"If it's okay with you, I'll be coming home early tonight."

Miyagi had already convinced Shinobu to attend his sister's wedding, and Shinobu was doing so, if only for his sake. He couldn't make him stay any longer than he wanted to, but he decided to try and give Shinobu another gentle push in the right direction.

"Your father told you that Risako wanted you there, right? "

Shinobu hesitated, fiddling with a loose thread on his sweater, before answering. "Yes."

"Your father wouldn't want to ruin his daughter's wedding day. I'm positive that they'll be happy to see you there. Your family doesn't hate you, Shinobu-chin."

"I'm not worried about what they think about Ime/I."

Miyagi lit a cigarette, taking a long, calming drag before responding.

"Why would an old man like me care about what anyone thought of him?"

"I care," Shinobu snapped, and Miyagi realised he couldn't remember the last time Shinobu had snapped at him before now.

Miyagi sighed, knowing well enough that he'd never be able to change Shinobu's feelings on the matter. To be fair, it was never his job; he wasn't the one that had made Shinobu sensitive about what people thought of them being together.

"I thought..." Shinobu started, breaking Miyagi from his thoughts, "I thought they'd at least invite you. I know it had nothing to do with you being my sister's first husband."

Miyagi knew that too, but he'd never tell Shinobu that.

"The only thing you can do is go for the ceremony, like they asked."

Miyagi heard Shinobu sigh, and he stuck his cigarettes back between his lips, smoking it down to nothing before placing the remains in the ashtray.

"If you're going to be coming home early, I'll leave the kitchen light on for you."

Miyagi looked up just in time to catch Shinobu's small, fleeting smile.

"Thank you."

Miyagi reached over, clasping Shinobu's cold hand with his own.

"You're welcome.

* * *

Miyagi wondered if he'd ever get used to seeing Shinobu looking so grown up. The younger man was bordering on thirty now, but Miyagi doubted he'd ever get used to how mature he looked in the suit he wore to work. Shinobu hadn't done anything to his hair past running a wet comb through it, but it still made his facial features look more defined. He smelled vaguely of the expensive cologne Miyagi had brought him for their ninth anniversary, and while Shinobu had told him it was a horrible gift at the time, he liked to think that his lover didn't wear it every day just to humour him.

Shinobu was doing up his tie, knotting it correctly with confident movements of his fingers, and Miyagi thought back to when he had to do it for him every morning before they both left for work. That was five years ago now.

"There we go," Shinobu said, tugging his suit jacket onto his shoulders.

"Perfect," Miyagi affirmed, deciding against saying exactly what he thought was perfect.

"I'll be back after the ceremony," Shinobu said, toying with the right side of his shirt collar, trying to make it sit flat, "I'll bring home dinner. What do you want?"

"Pumpkin."

Shinobu let out a long-suffering sigh, and Miyagi chucked softly. Instead of letting his stress get the better of him, Shinobu turned around, finger running idly along Miyagi's cheek.

"I'll be going, then."

Miyagi returned the simple display of affection with a soft touch of his hand to Shinobu's waist.

"I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

The chapel was surrounded by people; some Shinobu didn't know, others that he barely recognised. His sister had once again opted for a western-style wedding, and knowing his sister the way he did, he doubted that he husband-to-be would have had very little say in the matter if Risako had her heart set on it. Shinobu wondered if his parents had successfully convinced his sister to have a more personal, traditional ceremony before the western-style ceremony this time, but he somehow doubted it.

The chapel hadn't been hard to find; it was a small brick building in an area just outside of the center of Tokyo. It was only about twenty minutes' drive away from his old high school. He couldn't remember the day of Miyagi and Risako's wedding too clearly – in fact, he'd tried his best to forget the entire affair – but he was positive the church in which his sister had married his now-lover had been far more extravagant.

Briefly tightening his grip on the steering wheel of his car to release some pent-up stress, Shinobu grabbed his jacket off the passenger's side seat and stepped out of the car. He was almost immediately accosted by one of his friendlier uncles, who got right down to the friendly banter about how he hadn't seen Shinobu for years, and how he should come to more family events, and how he should bring his wife if he had one... Shinobu laughed everything his uncle said off, and tried to draw the least attention to himself that he could.

"And you've really got to meet your cousin Daisuke's wife... she has a sister, I think... oh, wait a moment, Ichiro! Your son is here!"

Shinobu felt himself freeze under the gaze of his father, even if it was only a reflex left over from his childhood years.

It took Shinobu a second to remember that he hadn't seen his father in three years, and it took him a second longer to remember it hadn't been thirty. In Shinobu's opinion, his father hadn't aged particularly well.

His uncle pushed them towards one another and ran off to scare some other relatives, and Shinobu and his father were left with an uncomfortable-hanging silence between them.

"Shinobu."

"Father."

"You've grown."

"Oh," Shinobu muttered; it had just occurred to him that it had been three years since his father had seen him, too, "I don't think I have."

"Perhaps it's just been a little too long since I've seen you, then," the older man replied; there was no accusation or malice in his voice, but hearing his father say that still made Shinobu feel guilty.

Ichiro let the silence hang for a moment, before sighing.

"How is Miyagi?"

Shinobu jumped, feeling his mouth fall open.

"What?"

"I can't ask about my former employee?"

Shinobu hesitated, weighing the possible outcomes of what he said in his mind. He hesitated too long for his father's taste, apparently, and he cut Shinobu off before he could begin to talk.

"Did it end between you two?"

The younger man felt his mouth twist into a scowl against his will.

"He's fine."

"Oh. Good, good."

"You don't need to pretend to care."

"I never pretended to," Ichiro muttered under his breath, eyeing some relatives. The small group stopped and waved to the father and son; Shinobu and his father waved back and continued to smile until their backs were turned.

"Shinobu," his father sighed, massaging his forehead with his hand, "You're my only son. You're a grown man now, and you can make your own choices. When I first found out about your relationship with Professor Miyagi, I wasn't sure what to think..."

"Uncle Ichiro!" A young woman had come up to greet his father, and the older man smiled in return.

"Yuri! Shinobu, I'm sure you remember your cousin?"

The three people exchanged pleasantries for a while, but it wasn't too long before the father and son were once again alone.

"As I was saying," Ichiro continued as if they'd never been interrupted, "I wasn't sure what to think. I was upset that neither of you had a high enough opinion of my character to tell me. I was upset that it had been going on for so long. Perhaps I feared for myself, as selfish as that sounds. We live in a world where prejudice still exists, you know, and it's not going to go away like that. I was afraid what your relationship would do to our family if it were made public."

Shinobu fought down the overwhelming desire to cut his father off; Ichiro seemed to realise this, and continued talking.

"I always thought Miyagi Yoh was a good man. My opinion hasn't changed. At first I tried to blame myself for this; I always relied on Miyagi to guide you in my stead, but now I realise it's not worth trying to blame anyone for what happened. What's done is done."

The old man sighed, looking anywhere but at his son's face.

"You've grown up to be a good person, Shinobu. You're a better son than I deserve. I know less about you now than I did when you were a teenager, and that's inexcusable as a parent. All I know is that regardless of what I first assumed about your relationship with Miyagi, it can't be that much of a bad thing if you still managed to turn out the way that you are. I am proud of you, Shinobu. I'm proud of both of you."

Shinobu stared at his father, feeling shocked. He tried, several times, to think of something to say in return, and realised every time that he had nothing to say. Not yet.

"I'm not sure what to say," Shinobu muttered, digging his hands into his pockets. His father nodded, understanding what his son meant.

"Do you know where Risako is?"

"She's getting ready inside the chapel. Go to the altar and turn left. She'll be waiting for the ceremony to begin inside there."

"Thank you," Shinobu said, giving Ichiro one final, fleeting look before he walked away. He was glad that his father let him go without another word.

* * *

Sitting alone in the apartment he shared with Shinobu, Miyagi Yoh had nothing better to do than wonder how he was handling things at Risako's wedding.

It was impossible for him to concentrate on anything else, really. Feeling irritable, Miyagi slid his reading glasses off his face, placed the book he had been reading on the coffee table, and lit himself a cigarette. He knew he should have felt more at ease, but despite his earlier insistence that Shinobu work things out with his family, a million worrying possibilities and troubles still plagued his mind.

It would be a lie for him to say that he completely trusted Shinobu to keep his emotions in check; his lover was a passionate person, and that passion could sometimes get the better of him. It would also be a lie for him to say that Shinobu was the same emotional teenager that he had once been. Despite the fact that he knew Shinobu so well, sometimes it was still hard for him to estimate how he would react to what happened around him.

All he could do was have faith in Shinobu.

In his heart, Miyagi was sure that he wouldn't have been gladder to place it in anyone else.

* * *

"Come in," Takatsuki Risako called in response to the knock on the heavy wooden chapel door. Her matron of honour and bridesmaids were fussing over her, trying to make her look immaculate for the wedding ceremony; in reality, every time they tried to fix one thing, they made another seem worse in comparison.

"Risako."

Her younger brother's voice echoed slightly in the large room, and Risako turned around, patiently waving away her bridesmaid's hand away from her face as she tried to fix a stray strand of hair hanging from her forehead.

"Shinobu?" Risako asked, eyes darting away from her little brother for a moment to look behind him, and it took Shinobu a moment to realise that she must have been looking for Miyagi.

"He's not here."

"Hmm, I wasn't sure whether he'd come or not."

Risako paused there, realising her bridesmaids were listening in on the conversation.

"Could you all do me a favour? Please leave us alone for just a few moments."

None of them seemed game enough to argue with their friend on her wedding day, and they left without a fuss.

"Sorry about them," Risako sighed a little, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

"It's not a problem," Shinobu replied, "I don't plan on talking to you for very long. Miyagi's not here, like I said."

"As I said, I wasn't sure if Yoh would come with you, but I guess you answered my question."

"Father asked me to come alone," Shinobu replied; Risako raised an eyebrow at that, and Shinobu hastily explained, "I think it's because he wanted to talk to me alone. Miyagi would have gotten the message anyway, but..."

"Father and mother have missed you a lot, you know," Risako cut in, placing her gloved hands together in her lap, "They have a funny way of showing it, but I think they regret what happened between us as a family. Father also regrets losing Yoh as a colleague, I think; he seems to like the man he promoted to professor when Yoh left with you, but he doesn't like the new assistant. The thing is… your relationship came as too much of a shock to us all, considering the way we found out."

"We wanted to tell you all in our own time, and we weren't ready," Shinobu admitted, "And you weren't ready to hear it, either."

"I wasn't," Risako replied, "I was still planning on trying to get back together with Yoh. I know now that that was a bad idea on my behalf. I let my emotions dictate how I reacted. It made me upset to think that you could make him happier when I had tried so hard."

Risako stayed silent for a minute, gauging her younger brother's reaction, but Shinobu didn't seem angry or upset by this revelation.

"I don't feel that way about him anymore. I love my husband-to-be and I'm glad I found him. He makes me happy. He's going to marry me; he wants to start a family with me. I never got that chance with Yoh. Perhaps that's all for the better now."

"It is," Shinobu said, and Risako found herself smiling.

"I'm glad you came today, Shinobu."

Shinobu opened his mouth to reply, but a knock at the door cut him off. His mother stormed in without waiting for a reply, but froze when she saw her son talking with her daughter.

"I'll go now," Shinobu announced, briefly nodding at Risako before walking past his mother and through the door, trying to ignore the accusing glare that his mother had focused on him even as he walked away to be seated for the ceremony.

* * *

The scratching of a key in the front door awoke Miyagi from his light slumber. Grunting in displeasure and rubbing his lower back irritably when he realised he'd fallen asleep on the couch, Miyagi pulled himself up to a sitting position just in time to see Shinobu walking through the door and loosening his tie.

"You're home earlier than I expected."

"The ceremony was short," Shinobu replied, briefly pausing to tug his tie off and place it with his suit jacket, where he had hung it on the hook by the door, "I left right after it ended. I didn't want to go to the reception, too many family members." When Miyagi smiled at that, Shinobu scowled a little in return.

"Too many relatives suggesting I meet their daughter-in-law's unmarried sisters."

"That must have happened a lot to annoy you, Shinobu-chin. I'm guessing... once?" Miyagi said, chuckling a little as Shinobu sighed and flopped down on the couch next to him and gave him an unimpressed look, "What's Risako's new husband like?"

Shinobu's mouth curled down at the corners just enough for Miyagi to notice.

"I didn't meet him, but he seems like a good enough person. Seems like they'll be happy."

"Good," Miyagi nodded, and left it at that. He still cared for Risako enough to wish her happiness.

He knew Shinobu was hesitating in telling him something, but he didn't ask what; Shinobu could tell him in his own time, and he was more than happy to sit here and wait, comfortable by his lover's side.

"Can we go to the bedroom?" Shinobu asked, and Miyagi nodded, barely leaving the couch before Shinobu was up and disappearing around the doorframe.

When Miyagi reached the bedroom, Shinobu was lying on their bed, face-up, staring at the ceiling, still dressed in his good shirt and pants. The older man sat down next to him, and Shinobu was curled up against his chest before he'd even gotten properly situated. They stayed in comfortable silence for a while, Shinobu's fingers flexing lightly against Miyagi's stomach, where his hand was curled into the older man's sweater.

"My father told me he was proud of us."

"Hmm?" Miyagi hummed, feeling somewhat surprised. Shinobu's eyes were fixed on the wall next to Miyagi's side of the bed, and he didn't respond. Miyagi sighed, briefly smoothing down the younger man's hair with the palm of his hand.

"He said he was proud of us. That he was proud of who I'd become, and you must have been part of that," Shinobu murmured.

"You mean he apologized?"

"Not exactly. I didn't stay long enough to find out whether he was willing to, either," Shinobu said, his toes curling against Miyagi's ankle, "I didn't know what to say."

Miyagi couldn't say that he knew how to respond to that, either; after three years of assuming his former employer hated him for being with his son, it was a surprise that the Dean was willing to take that step. The old man hadn't exactly been pleased; to be fair, his first response had been less angry knee-jerk reaction and more quiet disappointment, but it hadn't stung any less than Risako's tears or Shinobu's mother's anger. He'd been decent enough to let Miyagi resign from his job as Literature Professor of M, but Shinobu had said it was probably to save his own reputation, and after three years without contact, Miyagi had started to believe it.

Perhaps they'd both been wrong.

"I think I'll contact him again," Shinobu said hesitantly, "Once I know how to respond to him properly. But I wouldn't want to do it without you. I couldn't do it without you today."

Shinobu's cheeks had turned a delicate pink, bringing back memories of when he'd been younger and reacted so openly to everything Miyagi did and said. The older man smiled; the past was good, the present was good, and the future was something to look forward to. Squirming a little to shift Shinobu's weight off his stomach and into his lap, Miyagi placed his hand over his lover's and squeezed.

"Whenever you feel like it, Shinobu-chin."

Shinobu nodded gratefully. "And maybe Risako, too."

"Did you speak with her as well?" Miyagi questioned.

"Yes. She said how she reacted was the result of... leftover feelings for you," Shinobu said, not able to stop the slight scowl that crossed his face, "But she's happy now. She and her new husband are going to start a family."

Miyagi hummed in reply, unable to stop himself from briefly reminiscing on his own marriage to Risako. The first six months had been fine; Risako had been intent on keeping them close, and arranged outings and small, intimate little activities they could do around the house together. Those months were probably the easiest thing about their three-year marriage to remember. Risako had been cheerful, always talking about raising children together as soon as possible and moving to a bigger house, the usual sorts of things newlyweds like to talk about. _As soon as possible_ had quickly changed to _when you're not so busy with work_, and finally, she seemed to just give up, and they simply stopped caring for one another enough to try and fix things.

Miyagi had very few of those idealistic dreams of happiness when it came to his relationship with Shinobu. They shared a small apartment together, smaller than the ones they'd lived alone in when they'd been neighbours in Tokyo. He doubted they would ever be allowed to make their relationship official in the eyes of the law, and he doubted they would ever be able to raise children together. He wasn't even sure he wanted any of those things; he had never seen the point of fixing something that wasn't broken, and after being together for so long and being the happiest he'd been with Shinobu, any opportunity that came along after this just seemed like an added bonus to an already brilliant prize.

He was infinitely happier with Shinobu, despite everything that had threatened to come between them.

"What sort of person would I be if I wasn't by your side for something as big as this?" Miyagi murmured. Shinobu shrugged.

"I just feel as if I'm the only one left with anything really upsetting me about the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Risako and my father have both overcome their reservations about what happened... I don't know about my mother, but I'm sure father will settle her down... I feel like the only thing keeping us all apart is me."

"It's not your fault, Shinobu," Miyagi sighed, itching for a cigarette but not wanting to leave his lover alone, "I feel the same. When you told me what your father said to you at Risako's wedding, I couldn't believe it myself."

"Really?"

"Really. This will sound incredibly selfish, but your family aren't the only ones who feel they were treated unfairly during this ordeal. I was worried about you the whole time. I don't blame you for needing time to think about how to approach this."

"And what about you?"

"I'm a forty-five-year-old man, Shinobu. My family reacted badly to my relationship with Sensei, and I have no intention of telling them about our relationship, either. And it's not because I'm ashamed or upset; it's because I don't feel guilty for going behind their backs. And I feel no deep emotion for anyone in your family. I don't have the same feeling of guilt about this that you have."

"Miyagi..."

"The fact you do feel sorry proves you've grown to be a better person than I am, Shinobu-chin."

"Stupid old man," Shinobu murmured and pulled himself upwards to sit in Miyagi's lap, head resting against his shoulder. Miyagi simply smiled, hummed his amusement, and pressed a kiss to the top of Shinobu's head.

"Come on, we'd better go and raid the kitchen."

"... I forgot that I was supposed to bring food home," Shinobu sighed, pulling away from his lover.

"It's okay!" Miyagi smiled, giving Shinobu one last, tight squeeze before heading into the kitchen, "I doubt anyone anywhere could cook what I wanted better than you can."

* * *

It was much later in the evening before either of them said anything at all that could draw their attention back to what had happened that day.

"Miyagi?"

"What's wrong?" Miyagi asked, words coming out slightly muffled as he tried his best to talk without having to take his post-coital cigarette out of his mouth.

"Did you ever regret being with me? Even once?"

Miyagi shivered slightly as Shinobu moved against his side; the younger man's skin was smooth and cold against his own, and every time Shinobu's hands moved against his skin, he had to fight the urge to hold him close and warm him.

Miyagi didn't even have to strain to remember whether he had or not; every tiny, insignificant detail boiled down to the same answer.

"No."

"Mmm," Shinobu hummed low in his throat as Miyagi finished smoking and sunk back down under the sheets next to him, "I believe you."

"Good, because it's the truth."

Shinobu nodded, satisfied, and pressed himself against Miyagi, trying to share his warmth. Miyagi knew he didn't have to ask Shinobu the same question he'd just been asked, because he already knew the answer.

And as he guided Shinobu's mouth to his own for one last soft, slow kiss, he was positive that both their answers would stay the same, regardless of what the future had in store.

For a brief moment Shinobu's tongue brushed his own, but before Miyagi could assume his lover wanted to take it further and pull him down against him, Shinobu broke the kiss and settled down next to him, whispering a soft goodnight.

_For now_, Miyagi thought a few moments later, as he felt Shinobu's head droop gently against his arm, _The matter is at rest._

**END**


End file.
